Printed Circuit Board

The printed circuit board is considered one of the most important technological inventions ever made. The electronics and engineering world was changed by the introduction of PCBs. The printed circuit board marked the start of the improvement of creating electronic hardware through circuit interconnections. A few components and just a printed circuit board can be made into an outstanding device with different functionalities. The history of how small these components have turned into such great works of art started with its inventor, Paul Eisner.

Paul Eisner was considered a genius for inventing the printed circuit board in 1936

He had contributed huge amounts of knowledge in the electronics industry, making him the Father of Printed Circuits. The idea behind a printed circuit board, or in its abbreviated form, PCB, started sometime around in 1930 when Paul Eisner thought of a way to improve laying out circuits through the use of a printing technology. At the time, the world of circuitry utilized interconnections of wirings, which are very much complex and prone to error as compared to today’s technology.

Basically, the way engineers do electronics way back in the 1930s was pure manual – without the aid of any technology to improve and speed up the process. Since the printing technology is already accessible, Paul Eisner thought of this a way to make creating circuits less complicated. He thought of using conducting inks as a way to create circuits without the aid of wirings.

During that time, Nazis were persecuting people and the only way Paul Eisner can escape is to accept a job offer in England. He sold his patents on PCBs, but the idea was thought of as ineffective that is why it never really sold well. Due to rejections, in 1943, Paul Eisner thought of a way to integrate PCBs into something with a practical use. He created a radio in which his invention is a main component. He filed a patent for his creation, until such time the American Government had taken notice of his work.

The radio with the PCB was used among the American government’s many war technologies and it was only then that Paul Eisner gained recognition and received the lifetime reward of being a great contributor in the electronics industry. The PCB technology then evolved, creating even more products through practical applications to make people’s lives better. The electronics industry also began to make devices through the PCB and its functionality, until such time that PCBs have become a main part when it comes to electronic hardware.

The evolution of PCBs began during Paul Eisner’s era

Today, PCBs are made in small sizes, making them the best option in lowering costs and reducing the effort of manually creating and interconnecting wires from component to component. Though much have changed ever since the PCBs were invented in the 1930s, the demands of the market today also increased and the need to make Eisner’s invention better is higher year after year. The PCB, hence, is basically shifting from a basic part of an electronic hardware to an essential part of any device.

It has transitioned slowly to meet the demands of this changing era. Faster data transfer and enhanced component function should be the main target of the upcoming versions of the PCB. Surely, everything in today’s world of technology is focused on keeping things fast-paced, and PCBs should be one of them. The development and improvement of the PCB solely depends on how fast young engineers and researchers continue the legacy the inventor had left.
With the technology available today, it is of no doubt that PCBs will still develop and greater functionality will be achieved. These, and only these, would not be possible without the creator of it all, the man behind the history of PCB – Paul Eisner.

The Printed circuit board is an in a flash conspicuous image of both the excellence of gadgets configuration, and its mind-boggling refinement.